Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca wasn’t hanging about when he acted swiftly to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town in a deal worth £30m.
“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”
Those were the words Delap said upon arriving at Stamford Bridge, and he will have plenty of chances to lift titles next term.
The Blues are back among Europe’s elite and this could give Delap a perfect chance to continue his development.
The 22-year-old is a rising star, no doubt about that. Will Maresca be keen on signing even more young starlets throughout the duration to complement Delap?
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Indeed, Brazilian talent Estevao is set to link up with the Blues this summer. As too is Sporting CP talent Dario Essugo.
It appears as though Maresca is keen on bringing the average age of the squad down, and it might go even lower should he succeed in signing the latest player to be linked with a move.
According to Caught Offside, the Blues have now entered the race to sign Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling but face competition from a wealth of sides, namely Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United.
The €60m (£51m) asking price may deter Maresca, especially considering how much the club have spent already this window.
Still only a teenager, Dibling has an extraordinarily high ceiling and may even be a bigger talent than Delap.
Why Chelsea must sign Tyler Dibling
Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich last season in what was his maiden season in the top flight.
Considering the club was relegated, scoring only 36 goals all season, that’s not a bad tally. Such was Delap’s impact, his goal involvement accounted for 39% of the club’s total throughout the season.
Goals
2
Assists
0
Big chances created
3
Key passes per game
0.6
Successful dribbles per game
1.4
Shots per game
0.8
A move to Stamford Bridge will give him the chance in the Champions League, but a move for Dibling could see Chelsea sign an even bigger talent.
While Delap struggled to earn game time at City in his teenage years, Dibling is already a bona fide star despite his young age. He made his debut for the Saints aged just 17 in August 2023, having returned to the Saints after a brief spell with Chelsea U18s.
His breakthrough came last term. The teenager made 38 appearances in all competitions for the south coast side, scoring four goals and grabbing three assists.
Given how poor the club were in the top flight, Dibling was arguably the brightest spark, but it is unlikely he will want to play Championship football.
Hailed as a “special talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, Dibling put himself in the shop window with his displays last season.
Despite his tender years, the youngster is currently ranked in the top 19% when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 over the previous 365 days, rubberstamping his exceptional potential.
Given the talent among those divisions, this stat proves that Dibling loves getting the better of his opposite man.
The question is, will Maresca take a gamble on him this summer? If so, then a bigger talent than Delap is set to be unleashed.
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